If you live in an area that is wooded or dense with vegetation, you may be prone to invasions from raccoons, rats, bats, pigeons, and more. One of the prime points of entry for these critters is your roof.If pests get inside your house from the roof, they can do severe damage. They can nest in your attic, damage insulation, and expose your entire home to moisture damage, wrecking the integrity of your building.
Don't worry. There are ways you can prevent pests from accessing any type of roof. Do the following things to make sure your roof remains critter proof for years to come.
Reseal shingles
Even if you get a quality roof installation, high winds and rain can knock shingles out of place. This leaves shingles cracked or vulnerable, allowing them to be pried off by the claws and teeth of critters.
You can reseal your shingles, though. You can use a shingle sealant to make sure the bond is firm and tight. The sealant prevents pests from getting the needed leverage so they can remove shingles and enter the home.
Note: Make sure the shingles in the surrounding area of a loose tile are resealed too. If one shingle is a bit loose, then the likelihood of the other shingles being loose is high as well. Reseal the entire area to guarantee a firm and secure seal.
Trim any tall trees
Raccoons and rats get up on the top of roofs by climbing. A great way to prevent pests from climbing to the top of the roof is limiting their ability to climb.
Most often, raccoons and rats will use tall trees to get onto a roof. Pruning a tree and making sure it has short limbs will ensure that raccoons and rats will have to struggle that much harder to make it across the gap and onto your roof.
Nail down loose shingles
Resealing a shingle helps prevent critters from getting the needed leverage to lift up the roof and enter. However, if you want a guarantee, you may need to do a full roof replacement and nail down any loose shingles.
Sealant can wear off over time, even if it's over the course of decades. Nails stay in place, locking down shingles to the roof. Properly installed shingles will be locked in place for years to come thanks to high-quality nails.
Fortify insulation
Birds, raccoons, rats, and more can pick through loose shingles quickly. However, once they've punctured the roof barrier, they will have to then work through thick insulation.
If your insulation is poorly installed, then you may be giving them an advantage and allowing pests to enter quickly. By reinstalling new insulation and making sure there is thick and even coverage in all areas, then you are saving your roof from further invasions.
Any other tips?
Let Cloud Roofing know. Our San Antonio offices are dealing with new roof installations regularly, so we are eager to let people know about ways to prevent pests from ruining roofs. If you need a stronger roof to prevent pests from entering your home, then contact us for a free consultation.